


I’ve been waiting for you all this time

by DaniellaMa_e



Series: Marinette and Gotham (mostly oneshots) [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cute, Dami, Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne is Robin, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Love at First Sight, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug is Called MDC, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Soulmates, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Teen Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:15:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28642791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniellaMa_e/pseuds/DaniellaMa_e
Summary: Soulmate au between Marinette and emotionally present Damian, where a clock appears on your wrist at any certain age and ticks down to the second you meet your soulmate.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Damian Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne, damian - Relationship
Series: Marinette and Gotham (mostly oneshots) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2095875
Comments: 6
Kudos: 309





	I’ve been waiting for you all this time

**Author's Note:**

> Damian is emotionally present, if you’re not into this - fuck off.
> 
> Also, moving everyone up to high school age, late teens.

When Marinette was a young girl, still getting told bedtime stories about princesses falling in love with their knight in shining armour, her mother had constantly remarked about the affect of true love on one’s life. She told Marinette of the importance of love and that when Marinette grew older, she would one day find her soulmate.

At any certain age - research is not coherent as to a specified time in one’s life - a timer would appear on one’s wrist, counting down to the very second the soulmates would meet.

Not everyone would get a soulmate, a small percentage of the world’s population don’t have that privilege, but instead had the liberty to choose, freedom of choice..

Of course, you could always reject your soulmate but - ‘why would one do that?’ Marinette would ponder as a child.

In her time of adolescence, many classmates around her had already received their timers and this worried her; she feared that hers would not appear.

That’s why, when a pretty blonde boy with green eyes had kindly offered her an umbrella whilst she was malcontent; she took this as _her_ liberty.

Then, everything changed.

She was awarded the gift of a miraculous, her life had become a constant state of chaos where she would have to juggle the weight of other’s lives on her own, take responsibility for situations that shouldn’t ever have to involve someone of her age, and was torn between two separate identities. 

Her life as Marinette Dupain-Cheng (typical french high school student), and her life the sworn heroine - Ladybug.

She did not start this miraculous feud, but she did _end_ it.

Hawkmoth was eventually apprehended: his mental health had heavily deteriorated and Adrien was removed from the emotionally toxic household, after this - his plans had spiralled into failure upon failure, until the gathered owners of miraculous finally cornered him until he was taken into custody by the proper authorities.

Marinette became the official Guardian, and by that point her obsession with Adrien had diminished when she realised she was projecting her romanticised fantasies onto him all throughout their friendship.

Adrien… took hiatus elsewhere.

This all lead to Marinette being situated in Gotham. 

Jagged grew up in a middle class area of Gotham, attended Gotham academy only to get expelled three semesters later, and pursued a successful musical career in the rock genre.

He adored Marinette, a sweet french girl who produced beautiful art and turned cuts of cloth into fantastical wears.

She is honest and kind, and strong.

This meant that when he decided to temporarily station himself in his home city, that he had extended the offer, of a mini vacation, to Marinette. To which, she gratefully accepted once stationing the other members of Miraculous to patrol Paris in her stead.

”Excuse me! One week to make a perfectly fitted suit for ** _THE_ Bruce Wayne**?!” She screamed.

Marinette was surrounded by an unorganised pile of different cloths of materials while she tried to decide which would be more suitable. At that moment, she was told by her assistant that a new commission had come in by the one and only: rich, playboy billionaire - Bruce Wayne.

She sighed, “Lily, how could they expect this of _anyone_?”

”Apparently Jagged had promised them an MDC original _weeks_ ago but failed to inform you.”

Marinette was fingers-touching close to decapitating him on spot when she next saw him.

”That man—“ she growled.

Lily laughed, “he certainly _is_ ambitious.”

“I suppose,” Marinette rationalised, “if I push the cocktail dress commission back a week then u _should_ be able to finish the suit in time,” Marinette frowned a little. “And I thought that the coming weekend could be my day offs,” she mourned.

“Why don’t you take a break?” Lily suggested.

”Yeah, okay,” she admitted. “There’s still a chance I could get killed by some villain before I come back,” she laughed.

Lily, born in Gotham, **did not**.

*********

  
Damian had lived a life full of hardships.

Being born was not a privilege, it was a debt he was expected to pay back with his entire live hood.

He had been raised upon layers of expectations built up by a lunatic old man with far too great ambitions, and far too great a power at his disposal.

His mother and grandfather had repeatedly explained the importance of his extremely disciplined life, saying that his birth was propagated to produce an offspring that was genetically superior, that he would take over the covert assassin’s organisation when ready. 

This was the life that was set out for him.

One day, whilst under his mother’s apprenticeship, he had come to bare witness of the interrogation process of a traitor to their honoured organisation.

The man had cried out in agony at the pain and emotional manipulation throughout his tortuous interrogation.

The one that was responsible for carrying out the interrogation had playfully touched upon the idea of exploiting his emotional weaknesses, he claimed, ‘it would be a shame. Yes! A great shame, if anything were to happen to your soulmate while you’re away.’

The traitor had looked up in horror, blood dried on his face and dripped down his body, his breath began to heavy, ‘please. Don’t touch him.’

His mother and him walked away with contrasting expressions (his being of a bored one, Talia’s being of a conflicted one), his mother liked slightly concerned and she took on a tense facial expression at the comprehension of a singular thought - **soulmates**.

After that, he was promptly taken into a private room which he had noticed was completely empty and without any of the usual surveillance devices.

Talia looked into her son’s eyes whilst she carefully spoke, ‘I should’ve told you about this, sooner. About… _soulmates_.’

Damian kept silent.

’You’ll reach a certain age, it’s uncertain when, where a timer shall appear on either of your wrists. It’ll immediately start counting down the moment you’ll meet…’

’My soulmate,’ he answered.

’Yes,’ she heaved. ‘Your soulmate.’

When Damian later confined in his grandfather, Ra’s had laughed aloud in a sinister and maniacal tone. 

His eyes turned hard when he glanced back at Damian. ‘Soulmates are silly things, you don’t need a soulmate, you don’t need love. It’s better that you don’t get a soulmate, otherwise you’ll be distracted from your true purpose. Perhaps, we should rid of them,’ Ra’s commented.

Damian became cautious of him after that. 

Then he started living with the inglorious Wayne family, comprised of previously parent-less children and a billionaire father who is just as emotionally stunted as Damian once was. The difference was that Bruce was quite the conversationalist and Damian… Damian didn’t like _people_.

Dick had looked ecstatic every time him and his soulmate were reunited, they were teens when they meet and were in a committed relationship of over five years. 

Tim had yet to meet his, but was sure of the notion that they too would live their somewhat fairytale life once they met.

Damian _did_ want that too, but… it didn’t seem **possible**.

He was engaged in a conversation with Dick where Dick had explained what love could mean, in absolute opposition to Ra’s interpretations, and confirmed a variety of positive results from Soulmate pairings.

Bruce was also in agreement with those ideals.

Damian wanted to meet his soulmate but was endlessly worried of the repercussions. ‘What if they are an average civilian?’ Or, ‘how would mother react to them?’ No, ‘how would _they_ react to _me_?’

Then came that fateful day.

*********

Marinette had come back from her short break and was immediately informed of a call made to Lily. She knew that the timer was counting down to a moment that day where she would finally meet her would mate, but she was loaded with work and couldn’t get the energy to care enough.

Lily briefly explained that Bruce Wayne wanted to set up a meeting so that he could get properly measured for the suit, and that today at 3pm onwards was the only time he would be free in the next four days.

Marinette felt suicidal, “you know what. Fine. I’ll meet this fucking asshole.”

Bruce wasn’t an asshole, just a man of high expectations who assumed MDC would’ve already completed the design after Jagged had told him of her works. Perhaps he should’ve been more intuitive with his inquiries to Jagged, or as he had known him back in their Gotham Academy days - _Jared_.

Marinette was driven to Wayne Manor by a classic taxi; she stepped out with a plethora of equipment stuffed into her bag. 

Marinette was in awe at the architecture displayed in front of her, it exuded a gothic romanticism of Victorian aesthetic, and art nouveau inspirations. Gorgeous and immaculate, the front garden was lacking of any flowers but was instead filled with statues of ancient Grecian figures.

”Merde,” she spoke softly, breathe being shown in the cold air.

She gathered her confidence and knocked at the front door.

It was opened by an older gentlemen wearing a classic butler’s uniform, he spoke with a refined British accent.

“MDC?”

”Of course,” she replied.

”It’s a pleasure to meet, let me take your coat and then we shall proceed to the Master Bruce’s drawing room where you can take the measurements.”

Marinette smiled sweetly, “thank you-?”

”Alfred, miss.”

”Thank you, Alfred.”

Alfred did as he had described, he took Marinette’s coat and put it onto a coat hanger nearby, after doing so; he guided Marinette to the drawing room, passing by numerous rooms which sparked Marinette’s curiosity. For example, there seemed to be a room solely devoted to games, from what she could glimpse, there were numerous gaming consoles and a variety of large screens and monitors mounted onto each wall.

When the two came to the drawing room, Alfred stepped inside and introduced her, “Master Bruce. I present, **MDC**.”

Marinette chuckled at her synonymous alias, “MDC sounds quite professional. I’d rather you call me by my actual name,” she took out her hand for Bruce to shake, “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Bruce was a large gentlemen of a tall and muscled build, the copious amounts of muscle hidden underneath his casual suit. He had striking, piercing blue eyes and a stern commanding presence.

He shook her hand.

”It’s an honour to meet you. I apologise for the rush, we only just now realised that the suit needed for the event is coming up and no confirmation with you had been made.”

Marinette nodded in understanding. “It’s _troublesome_ but… we’ll make do. I’m sure a man of your position will be able to compensate,” she lightly joked. “If you take off your outer layer, then we can start taking the measurements.”

Marinette crouched at her bag and grabbed her measuring tape along with a notebook and pen to accurately record the measurements. She also tied her hair back with a polka dot hair tie.

Bruce smiled in return as he removed his blazer and waited for her to assemble her kit, “of course. I’m happy to pay you whatever stress we caused due to our unreasonable task.”

Marinette supplied, “money is currently temporary. But,” she contended to, “your name is worth much more to me than any singular commissi—“

”Father!” 

One of Bruce’s son had slammed the door open, the force causing the door to bang loudly against the adjacent wall.

“Tim, I’m busy—“

”Tell your demon child to stop hiding the coffee pods!” Tim yelled.

Another voice from the hallway yelled, “it wasn’t me! He’s lying!”

“No. I’m not!”

Bruce clenched his teeth, “ _we_. Have a guest.”

Tim looked towards the petite french girl with dark black hair wearing tight black jeans, converse, and a maroon coloured shirt with a sweet heart neckline.

Bruce stated as calmly as possible, “Tim… meet Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She is… MDC.”

Marinette heard an audible gasp from where she was crouched at.

”I- omg.”

”Oh my god?” Marinette was confused at the shocked reaction.

”I-I’m a huge fan! I’ve been following your social media accounts since you’re first design of Jagged’s CD! You’re designs are amazing, the amount of detail you comprised at your first showcase was absolutely amazing! You based it off of superhero suits! You took into consideration, weak areas that needed protecting, the manoeuvrability, material—“

Marinette had never met such an avid fan and was glad to meet someone who actually appreciated her and her assistant’s efforts, “it’s great to meet someone so passionate.” Her cheeks were blushed from praise.

”I—“

”DRAKE!”

Bruce sighed, “demon. Yes, I see how one _might_ define him as that,” jokingly admitting to the referral. “That’s my youngest, Damian,” he reported.

Damian appeared at the door, anger radiating off him in waves, “MY SOULMATE MIGHT BE HERE SOON! Where. Is. My. Blade?!”

The mention of soulmates forced Marinette to grasp the situation of her timer, when she instinctively checked her wrists, it started to count down from 4, 3—

“You’re—“ 

When Marinette looked up from her wrist, she finally made eye contact with the famed youngest son of Bruce, Damian (‘ _holy shit’)_ Wayne.

In her french accent she muttered, “oh, my, god.”

*********

Later, Marinette and Damian and sat on his living room couch.

Despite Tim’s incessant whining at wanting to talk to his idol more, and Bruce’s only compatible time to get fully measured for his suit being taken up, the two had been left in privacy whilst they addressed, _well_ … each other.

”I’m, I’m not sure where to start, Damian confessed.

Marinette agreed, “it’s hard to wrap my head around.”

”Me, as your soulmate?” Damian asked, hoping for a non-rejecting reaction.

”Kind of,” she joked, “I mean. I was completely swamped with work that I forgot about my timer! When I come here to take the measurements of billionaire Bruce Wayne, I meet my soulmate, his beautiful son.”

“Beautiful,” Damian’s cheeks heated.

Marinette teased, “ _gorgeous_.”

Damian could feel who they were as soulmates, it was like something was surrounding his heart, it was warm and felt more comforting that he had ever known. His heart was beating loudly in his ears, and his mind supplied him with endless thoughts of unease.

Marinette spoke, “I’m not sure whether I’m what you expect for a soulmate. But I hope that I’m enough. I feel like I could already know you, and I hope we can get to know each other better?” Her pitch got slighter higher with the anticipation of talking to her universe chosen partner.

”Yes!” Damian had accidentally called out. He coughed fake-ly, “I m-mean. Yes,” he tried to calm his breathing, “I would really like that.”

Neither had noticed that they had started to hold hands halfway through their conversation. In addition to this, they were positioned much closer than they were at the start. Lips close enough for the distance to be closed if wanted.

Alfred sneakingly snapped a few photos of the two from an inconspicuous hiding place, Bruce asked him to share the photos once he had done so.

The two older teens held hands for the first time that day.

They also, _might’ve_ , shared a brief kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Lol


End file.
